Bohol town mayor wants compulsory

vaccination for residents

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, May 6 (PIA) -- San Miguel Mayor Virgilio Mendez wants the anti-coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination to be compulsory for his town residents.

This was disclosed by the mayor during the Network Briefing News interview aired across the government stations and media platforms on May 6.

The mayor said the fears from fake claims on vaccination circulating on social media platforms weigh less than the chance of his people to be well and healthy.

“We want the vaccination to be compulsory,” the mayor, who was once director of the National Bureau of Investigation, said.

While San Miguel has a track record of 45 active cases of COVID-19 since March of last year, 44 have recovered with one fatality.

But the town has learned its lessons well and has been hailed among Bohol’s best in fighting and containing COVID-19, according to Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction management Officer Anthony Damalerio.

The vaccination program has since started rolling out, and some priority groups of the town have already received their first and second doses, which allowed local authorities to gather early feedback.

“Most of the Sangguniang Kabataan presidents are members of the Barangay Health and Emergency Response Teams (BHERT). We are among the priority groups, so we have neen vaccinated. As for the other youth, many are still hesitant, but still, many have wider perspectives,” revealed San Miguel SK Federated President June Reign Reyes.

Reyes along with the other SK chairpersons from the town's 18 barangays have been going around to convince residents to avail of the vaccination.

"Information and education would work for them," Reyes assured.

But while the government desires to reach 70 percent of the local population inoculated to gain full protection against the fatal virus, the mayor said those who still harbor fears over being vaccinated should put their doubts aside for their own safety.

“Hindi pwede dito sa mga kasamahan namin sa bayan na magpika-pika sila because this is for their own good,” he said during the interview hosted by Network Briefing anchor Presidential Communications and Operations Office Asec. JV Arcena.

For the town to completely beat COVID-19, the mayor believes getting full protection is the solution.

“Alam mo na mahirap kami dito. The only way probably that we can continue our efforts to improve our standard of living is that the people must be always healthy,” Mendez said.

“We have to grab this opportunity otherwise we will be left behind. Kaya i-compulsory namin (ang vaccination) dito,” the mayor continued.

The mayor also acknowledged that there are sectors who do not want to push for it.

To them, he said “they have to understand also that the government has the fundamental duty to protect the welfare and health of our people here in San Miguel.” (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

FROM BOHOL TO THE WORLD. San Miguel Mayor Virgilio Mendez (L) sharing his town's small successes against COVID-19 during the Network Briefing interview. (PIA Bohol)